Delaware General Assembly


CHAPTER 358

FORMERLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 298

AS AMENDED BY HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1 AND

SENATE AMENDMENT NO. 2

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 22 OF TITLE 23 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO BOATING SAFETY.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE (Two-thirds of all members elected to each house thereof concurring therein):

Section 1. Amend § 2212(i), Title 23, Delaware Code, by striking the word “section” and substituting in lieu thereof the word “subsection”.

Section 2. Amend § 2212(j), Title 23, Delaware Code, by striking the phrase “non-motorized vehicles” and substituting in lieu thereof the phrase “nonmotorized vessels”.

Section 3. Amend § 2212(m), Title 23, Delaware Code, by striking said subsection in its entirety and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

“(m) No person shall operate a personal watercraft to tow a water skier, aquaboard or other similar device unless there is in such vessel a competent observer, in addition to the operator, and the personal watercraft is designed by the manufacturer to carry the operator, the observer and the person(s) being towed. The observer shall be considered competent if he or she is facing toward the person(s) being towed.”

Section 4. Amend § 2213(c), Title 23, Delaware Code, by adding to the end of said subsection the following:

“A printed map or chart of the area where the person is permitted to operate shall be provided by the person from whom the personal watercraft is rented.”

Section 5. Amend § 2213(e), Title 23, Delaware Code, by striking said subsection in its entirety and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

“(e) The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control shall prepare educational material setting forth excerpts from or a summary of the pertinent provisions of this subchapter and subchapter III of this chapter and information pertinent to personal watercraft safety. Any person who is in the business of renting personal watercraft shall be furnished this material without charge.

(f) No person who is in the business of renting personal watercraft shall rent a personal watercraft to any person without obtaining from such person a written acknowledgment that the educational material prepared by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control pursuant to subsection (e) of this section has been read and understood.”

Approved June 30,2000